Categorized as: ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

I had absolutely zero experience with exercise. I hadn’t ever been physically active before. I didn’t have the confidence or prior knowledge to work out on my own and hadn’t found any sport or program that I was interested in or thought I could be successful at. I was terrified of looking foolish and I definitely had the mentality that you had to be fit already in order to work out (which was really the most foolish thing of all).

2. How long have you been training at Naples Strength & Conditioning?

Just over a year! I haven’t regretted a single minute. Even during the worst workout on my worst day, I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything.

3. How many days do you work out at our gym?

I come in 5 days a week. When I started, my body could really only handle 3 to 4 days (believe me, I tried to come more) and then I learned about my body’s recovery tendencies. Now I have a pretty solid routine.

4. Do you workout outside of the gym?

Not really. I’ll occasionally go on a run, but since my shins hate running, I try to save it all for the gym.

5. How much weight have you lost?

At last count, I’ve lost 25 pounds. But I’ve gained quite a bit of muscle.

6. What was your biggest motivation for losing weight?

Before I joined, I thought that I was just an un-athletic person who was incapable of ever being in shape. But the thought of letting my 20’s pass me by without ever feeling good about my body terrified me. I realized that I had to take responsibility for my physical well-being. That responsibility isn’t reserved for those special “other” people in the world who seem to be born running a 6-minute mile.

7. What diet do you follow?

I log everything I eat on an app called MyFitnessPal and stay under a calorie limit that is healthy but encourages weight loss. I eat simple, whole foods and I’ve really ramped up my protein intake. Now that I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on that I’m trying to balance my macronutrients, which are based loosely on the Renaissance Diet.

8. How much of your weight loss has been exercise and how much has been diet?

I would say that about 85% of my weight loss has been diet. In my first 2 months of CrossFit, I lost 5 pounds. But the first time I did the LookFit Challenge, I lost 6 pounds in a month. It was at that point that I really began to understand and listen to my body.

9. What has been the most challenging part for you so far?

The most challenging part has been having patience in seeing results. For a long time, I felt like the results I was seeing weren’t proportionate to the amount of effort I was putting into my exercise and diet. The progress was there, though; it was just really slow. This is still something I struggle with because I’m not done. I still haven’t achieved my ultimate goal and I know that getting there will still take some time.

10. What advice would you give to someone to get the same results you got?

Your body is not the enemy. It needs to be strengthened and fed and cared for – not starved and beaten into submission. Give your body what it needs to run efficiently. Train it to do what it was designed to do. Respect it. Also, be patient with yourself. My coaches at the gym have told me a million times that progress doesn’t happen immediately. Anything that can be earned overnight will be lost just as quickly. Real improvement requires discipline and consistency (and that means not cherry-picking WODs!).

11. What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

Well, it’s not really a secret, but I have next to zero natural athletic talent. I can do things, but it’s all been hard-earned with bruises, sweat, and tears (no blood…yet). I’m not the most athletic woman in the world and I’ll never qualify for the Games, but I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’ve given this everything I have. And that counts for something.

What type of training were you doing before joining our gym?
I’m 30 years old, a husband, and a father of 2 very young children with little exercise experience. When I first joined this gym, I had zero knowledge of CrossFit and what it was all about. I barely knew what to do with dumbbells or a barbell. I weighed 160 pounds and I exercised an average of twice a month on my own, which involved less than a mile of running and very few push-ups and sit-ups.

How long have you been training at Naples Strength & Conditioning?
I have been training with your community at Naples Strength & Conditioning for over 3 months now.

How many days do you workout at our gym?
I attend group class 4 to 5 days a week on average.

Do you workout outside of the gym?
Never. I stand in a small room for 8 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week for work. The only exercise I get, where my heart rate actually goes up, is at your gym.

What is your nutritional philosophy?
My nutritional philosophy is that you are what you eat, so keep everything in moderation. After joining this gym, there wasn’t much change in my diet. However, I did cut out a few unnecessary carbs in the morning and began consuming more healthy protein after a workout, especially to help with recovery.

What has been the most challenging part for you so far?
The most challenging part has been having the patience with myself, to take things slow. Starting out, I had to use lighter weights and learn technique, so I wouldn’t injure myself. I was so ready for a change in my life that I wanted to learn everything faster than my body could handle. I knew that was wrong, so I took it one week at a time, slowly increasing weights and reps until I truly felt comfortable and stronger. After about one month, I kicked it up a notch and have been going ever since. Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t rush into things as I have been able to really enjoy this experience and also recover on my days off.

What advice would you give to someone to get the same results you got?
My advice would be to stop making excuses as to why you can’t have an exercise routine and just show up.Have an open mind to learning new things and the coaches will take care of the rest. Then, once you get started, check your diet. It’s easier to make changes to your diet (if needed) once you’re invested and motivated. And lastly, too much of anything is not good. So be patient with yourself and your body, take some time to recover, and watch yourself transform.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
For most of my adult life, I felt this lingering guilt for not exercising on a consistent basis. So when I joined this gym, I decided to not do anything other than what the coaches advised and see what sort of results I get in 3 to 4 months. In that time, I lost an average of 1% of body fat per month, got seriously toned, and dropped the sulky attitude. I have a lot more energy and feel stronger than ever before. I never thought I’d be able to get myself up every morning to exercise, but I actually look forward to it. And best of all, I no longer carry this guilt for not taking time for my health and well-being. A big thank you to Naples Strength & Conditioning, for their community-oriented, results-driven philosophy that actually works.

What did you do for fitness before CrossFit? Did you play any sports growing up? I danced for 16 years, swam competitively, and played volleyball,

How did you first get exposed to CrossFit? I saw it on Facebook and it looked like it was something I would be interested in.

What was your first workout and how did it go? How did you feel after? I just remember the first one having burpees but everyone cheered me on as I was the last one finished. I felt exhausted but ready for more.

The program is structured in a way that maintains 4 fundamental areas of fitness, focusing on one per week, but always has new workouts and conditioning sets. I look forward to every week, and love the versatility of movements and skills we focus on. The coaches are all very dedicated, and encourage all of us with positivity rather than pressure or aggression. Great gym!

Masters Class is amazing! I am 67 years old and after a pretty sedentary life, started cross fit about 2 years ago. When I moved to Naples this past fall - I discovered CrossFit Naples Masters Class and love everything about this experience. Great facility, wonderful coach and enthusiastic exercise mates. Every move is explained and demonstrated for correct form and with an eye to keeping you safe while giving you a good workout! I have lost a total of 15 pounds in 6 months and feel and look healthier and more fit.

Dropped in for a class while on vacation. A great and fun workout with positive coaches who provide solid feedback and encouragement throughout. The gym is clean and well-equipped, and the owners have done a great job building the community. If you live in or near Naples, or are looking for a box to drop in while around, this is your place. Thanks for a great day!

CrossFit Naples is truly a wonderful community. I joined this box last year with next-to-zero athletic training and low confidence in my abilities, but also a desire to succeed and invest in my body and my lifestyle. The coaches (Kirk and Mario, especially) returned that investment two-fold and have guided me on my path to fitness, both physical and mental. I absolutely recommend this facility to anyone looking for a positive experience with a gym, either for the first time or as a seasoned athlete. Thanks, CFN!

I waited just over 3 months to give this gym a review because I wanted to really make sure they deserve the rating I am giving them- and they really do. If I could give more stars I would. CrossFit Naples is top-notch and extremely caring about its people; newly welcomed, drop ins, and even long time members. The owner, Mario, is an awesome coach, a humble leader, and a born natural- he could do it with his eyes closed. He's also a new father to a beautiful little boy who you can tell he loves so much. The Coaches Kirk, Miles, and Luke are like the heart and soul of this place- they are awesome at what they do and only want you to succeed. They know so much about fitness it's like having a personal trainer by your side. Every class they go over in full detail and demonstrate what we will be doing. They constantly correct form and do some really effective stretching techniques that target the muscles we'll be working on. It's definitely not the stereotypical meat-head gym with a bunch of wild crazies swinging from bar to bar like some other gyms. It has a community feel every class, every time. Now some info about me- I'm 30 years old, a husband, and a father of 2 young boys with very little exercise experience. When I first joined CrossFit Naples, I had zero knowledge of CrossFit and what it was all about. I barely knew what to do with dumbbells or a barbell. I weighed 160 pounds and exercised maybe twice a month on my own (which involved less than a mile of running and very few push-ups and sit-ups). When I joined this gym, I decided to not do anything other than what they told me and see what sort of results I get in 3 months. So I averaged 4 to 5 days a week there with not much change in my diet except cutting out a few unnecessary carbs and consuming more healthy protein. In that time, I lost 3% body fat and have some great muscle gains. I feel like a different person and it's only been 3 months. I can't say enough good things about this place. I never thought I'd be able to get myself up every morning to exercise, but I actually look forward to it. I'm so glad I found them, and I'm looking forward to the next 3 months. I hope this helps anyone who is on the fence about which CrossFit gym in Naples to try, because this one by far, feels like home.

I joined CrossFit Naples during my long winter break from college. I already had a decent amount of fitness experience but I ended up learning a ton of new movements and workouts that I can use while back at school. The coaches are fantastic and the classes are small enough to offer individual attention. The facility is great, has plenty of equipment, and is nice and clean. I particularly enjoyed that they offered extensive open gym hours, so I could workout on what I wanted outside of classes.

I'm a longtime weightlifter with some serious functionality and flexibility issues. Coach Kirk has been working with me over the past couple of months to help rebuild what I've screwed up. Even with up to 11 other people in the class, he always takes time to coach me personally. I'm starting to unlock my strength beyond simple iron throwing. I'm becoming functional. I cant recommend it enough.

Excellent gym. Yes they are a crossfit affiliate, but they distinguish themselves by hiring great coaches and teaching safe and effective form and range of motion. You warm-up, practice strength and power lifts and then condition to get your heart rate up. The wods always leave me ready to tackle the day!

I've been a member at Naples Strength and Conditioning for about a year now, and the quality of the coaching and community is absolutely fantastic. I refused to try CrossFit for several years before stepping through their doors, and was immediately welcomed with open arms. Knowing almost nothing about many of the movements and philosophy behind CrossFit, they really helped me grow and develop as an athlete, without just throwing me over to the weights and telling me to get going. Mario and the other coaches have truly become part of my family, and I would recommend them to anyone!

Dropped in for and early morning Friday Wod. Skill work, strength work and a quick 9 min conditioning wod to finish it off. Super fun and efficient with a knowledgeable coach (Mario) who coached the entire time! Shout out to Coco (a member) who made me feel most welcome! See you all next year when I’m back in town!

Naples Strength and Conditioning is the BEST place in Naples for training. The coaches are knowledgeable, encouraging and FUN!! The owner Mario is hard working, kind and passionate about what he does. This if reflected in all aspects of this gym from personal training to Crossfit and other classes. If you want to experience great results and be educated on how to do it - this place is for you!

I'm in Naples for a few days on business. Contacted Naples Strength and Conditioning via their website on the weekend to ask some questions and Mario got back to me right away. He called me on a Saturday and answered all my question in a real customer care fashion. I then dropped in on Monday for a morning session and Coach Luke was just outstanding....he coached the entire time and did a great job making me feel welcome. The entire class was welcoming. I will be back a few more times while I'm here. Great work outs, great environment and very welcoming. Thank you for making being away from home a little less like being away from home.

Our Mission & Vision

We are a community oriented, results driven fitness facility committed to creating lifelong fitness.

We see our company as a community centered fitness facility. Our friendly membership base allows for our members and staff to consistently offer a non-threatening atmosphere to train. Above the superior professionalism that we maintain we believe safety to be number one on our list. We strive to continue to offer programs and services that can help our clients reach not just their health and fitness related goals but their life goals as well. While always reminding our clients to keep training fun.